Suitcase Mama

View Original

Stay Here with Kids! (Hampton Inn & Suites Madison/ Downtown)

When staying in Madison, Wisconsin with your family I cannot recommend this hotel enough. Between the location, activities tailored to kids, free breakfast and large rooms you can’t go wrong.

Location

The Hampton Inn & Suites Madison/Downtown is in an ideal location. Just a couple blocks off State Street, you and your family have access to so many activities (many of which are free). For a list of things to do with your family in Madison, WI, you can ready my blogpost here.

The great thing about this hotel is that you can pack up your stroller and your family and walk to any type of food, restaurant, or activity you could want. No need to get back into the car. State Street is also pedestrian only (for the most part. Buses can drive on it). This means you don’t have to worry about traffic and your children either.

From Children’s Museums to the Lakefront and everything in between, you can’t go wrong with this hotel’s location.

Amenities

Sometimes you walk into a hotel and you can tell the employees and guests are not that excited to see your children. This is not the case at the Hampton Inn & Suites Madison/Downtown. In fact, they are so welcoming to kids that they have activities for them to do immediately when they step into the lobby. They can look for Raymond Racoon (and get a prize!) as well as grab some crayons and markers and add to the hotel artwork.

I don’t know about you, but we rarely stay in a hotel that doesn’t have a pool. Not only is there a beautifully, well lit pool area but it includes a hot tub. The natural light makes it very welcoming and there is no shortage of tables and chairs in case you want to watch your children swim (we’re not at the age where that is a consideration yet, given we have a one and two year old). If there is interest, and time, the adults can also check out the Fitness Center which has everything you could need, including a Peloton Bike (I personally love doing this when I’m a business trip).

The market is located right in the lobby and has anything that you might have forgotten as well as snacks and beverages in case you’re in a pinch.

*Pro Tip: If you forgot any of the “essentials” ask the front desk. They will give you complementary toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, etc.

Attached to the hotel is Bassett Street Brunch Club. This makes for a very easy lunch/dinner option for your family. The food is good. Nice kid’s menu. It’s not a super fancy restaurant so you don’t have to worry about your kiddos being too loud, etc.

You could also eat at this restaurant for breakfast, but you’ll most likely opt to do the free breakfast that comes with your stay. It includes waffles, eggs, fruit, cereal, etc. The food was fresh and the staff was very friendly. The best part about this breakfast is that it’s available immediately which is key for those impatient, hungry children.

If your adventures get you up and at it without much time for breakfast, Hampton Inn & Suites Madison/Downtown has pre-made to-go breakfast bags! These include things like fruit, bagels, etc. What we love to use these for is to grab a couple for things for us to munch on during the day. So we indulge in the free breakfast and then have lunch and/or snack covered as well!

Rooms

There are three types of rooms at this hotel. The first is your standard hotel room with either two queen beds or a king bed with a chair. They come with a microwave, mini fridge and desk. We find the mini fridge is key with babies and toddlers because they love their milk. So to be able to stick that in the mini-fridge is super helpful for before bed or after they wake up in the morning.

The room we stayed in was the King Studio Suite which is very large. It has a nice entry way which includes a wet bar, microwave and mini fridge. Their is a small “living” area which includes the sleeper sofa. The room is split by a large desk with the king bed on the other side. We had myself and my husband in the king bed, our baby in his pack n’ play, and my two year old son on the pull out sofa. The large bathroom is separate from the sink and counter area. It is a tub/shower combination which is nice if you need to give baths to your littles.

You can have this style room with two queen beds (instead of the king), which means it could quite comfortably fit a family of six!

The last option of rooms is an actual King Suite which has a separate living area and bedroom. We LOVE these and will often get this type of room if we think we want to be up a lot later than our kids’ bedtimes. We opted not to get this type of room for our trip to Madison, but it’s a great option.

Overall Summary: This is an ideal hotel for families when visiting Madison, WI

We can’t say enough good things about this hotel for families. It has everything you could need and more. Great location, wonderful amenities for families and very clean, comfortable rooms.